Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-05-20
THE COMIC OPERA
As Seen by q Western Gentleman In
New York.

As Seen by a Western Gentleman In
New York.
Tspecial Correspondence
NEW YORK, May 10.
A gentleman from sway out in Indiana"
now on his first visit in the big city, went the
other night to see or hear a comic opera
The following is his account Of it as written
to his wife, and from which letter these ex-
tracts are taken:
81 told you about meeting Capt. -, who
used to drum it in clothing out around there
from Indianapolis, and we had no end OF
fun He got tickets to q comic opera and so
l went along, as ! never had seen such
thing in my life, and now reckon don't
care to again. Why, it was just the dernedest
stuff you can think Of; but I'll tell you all l
can about it. We rode away up to
Thirty-fifth street and went into the Irish
THEATRE got well up and they turned on the
piece; they called it "Gypsy Baron" I like
good song and good show, but there was
nothing but whooping and roaring and jump
ing about till I was sick and tired. Every
a while, but l couldn't make head nor tail
Of it They didn't talk long enough
at once for me to find out what
the piece was about And what
they did talk was jumbled up stuff that only
bothered me- And just about the time
1 got interested they all jumped back
and fell to whooping, screeching, high
and low, and pounding on anvils and
banging and Gathering till my head
ached fit to split. But the New York
folks liked i'll could see that-some folks do
like that sort. They stamped and clapped !;
and once in while the actors stopped the
racket and some girl sung a right pretty
little song, and then they all went to whoop-
ing and yelling again till l was disguised.
We went out and got some beer in the first
recess they had two recesses, you know
stopped and let the curtain down q while),
and when we come back they had it down
fine. There was, near as could make out, a
great, tall fellow who loved young Gypsy,
and sung or howled all over the stage about
It, Did you ever hear such rot in all your
dayse Making love like a screech owl! Then
the old Gypsy come out of cave and howled
and screeched all around the tall fellow.
Then an old pig sticker came out of two
story house on the other side of the hull ring
and howled about his girl and the tai! fellow.
and then two girls screeched all round the
cave and up on to the rocks and shook their
fists at each other, and about fifty Gypsies
and soldiers come in and howled 'em all
down, and the tall fellow enlisted and went
off to fight the Spaniards. And my PRAYER
and hope is that he got shot in the first bat
tie, for / have no use for him. But this amt
half nor tenth of it. There was banging on
tin pans and pounding on anvils and other
iron, and two or three times they let up and
let fellow tune up a piano. and just as I
was hoping he would get done tuning I'D and
play something, they all turned loose again
worse than ever. 1 couldn't see darned bit
O. sense in it. But the stage was fixed up
beautiful, and two or three Of the girls was
pretty as speckled pony at a fair. got so
disguised that left at the second recess and
waited at the beer room for Capt. -, and
he came in after it was all over and blowed
me sky high. He says it's the thing. Well.
maybe sol like a good song, but no more
opera for me. Your husband, JOHN"